Is Mount Kinabalu the Highest Mountain in South East Asia? | JOM MagazineJOM Magazine Is Mount Kinabalu the Highest Mountain in South East Asia? Dec 18 By Danesh Chacko Mt Kinabalu (by Oscark for Wikipedia) In 2004, I got the opportunity to travel Sabah (in Borneo) for the first time and part of the trip was to hike Mt Kinabalu. Prior to my incomplete ascent of the mountain, the guide stated the fact that Mt Kinabalu is the highest mountain in South East Asia. My dad said to the guide that he disagreed with the fact, so the guide changed his mind and said that in terms of accessibility in SE Asia, it would be the highest. For Malaysians, it is stated in our geography textbook that, at a height of 4101 metres, Mt Kinabalu is the highest mountain in South East Asia. It was initially taken as a fact but soon, some of us began to dispute this “fact”.

Let’s dissect this argument into two categories: Mt Kinabalu The highest Mountain in South East Asia It’s height is 4101 metres In 1997, using satellite technology, Mt Kinabalu lost 6 metres of its height (revised height is 4095.2 metres). This is nearly the same height as Mount Cameroon (subject to change), the highest mountain in Cameroon. FELLOW READERS, THE HEIGHT OF MOUNT KINABALU IS 4095.2 M, NOT 4101M This leaves the first statement in dispute. I decided to set up a poll to see my friends’ views on this matter, with 23 people participating. The question posed: ‘Is Mt Kinabalu the Highest Mountain in South East Asia?’ The responses as below: Survey Results: I don’t know: 4% I am going to present reasons for both sides of the argument. Yes Those who argue on this premise may believe in what the Malaysian Geography Syllabus stated a long time ago. Some might have said yes based on their research on websites. Argument 1 The whole issue of this dispute stems from the way one defines South East Asia.

To nominate Mt Kinabalu as the highest peak in SE Asia, Burma and New Guinea should be defined as being outside of SE Asia. Burma used to be part of British India, so it should be included in the South Asia category. New Guinea is claimed to be the largest island in Oceania. In Burma, there is Hkakabo Razi (5881 m) and the Indonesian Side of New Guinea has four to five mountains higher than Mt Kinabalu. By excluding Burma and New Guinea, however, the claim is correct. Argument 2 Some of you might argue that Burma is part of SE Asia and New Guinea (including Papua, formerly Irian Jaya) is part of Oceania. On this premise however, you might argue that Hkakabo Razi is part of the Himalayas and it is very close or on the borders with China/India. Since it is part of the Himalayas and bordering on other countries, Hkakabo Razi cannot compete with Mt Kinabalu for the title of the highest mountain in SE Asia – in short, its claim is disputed.

You might also point out that the language used by ethnic groups residing around the mountain is more closely related to Chinese, than to South-East Asian languages. No Upon further research, most findings prove that Mt Kinabalu is not the highest mountain in SE Asia. Argument 1 South East Asia is defined as the area from Myanmar (Burma) to Indonesia (Papua Region). ASEAN includes Burma and because of this, Hkakabo Razi is the highest mountain South East Asia. The United Nations for statistical reasons puts Myanmar in South East Asia, not in South Asia. In Papua alone, there are also four to five mountains exceeding 4100 metres. Puncak Jaya (4884 m – not the old figure of 5030 m) is the highest peak in Papua, and the highest island mountain in the world. Definitely, these two peaks are much higher than Mt Kinabalu. On this premise, Mt Kinabalu can get the consolation prize of being the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea or the Malay Archipelago (excluding New Guinea). Argument 2 This argument is a subset of the first argument.

Assuming the Google Maps border is correct, I found that Hkakabo Razi lies wholly within Burma (it is close to the border with China). Even if it shares the border with China, it wouldn’t matter. For example, Mt Everest is the highest mountain for both China and Nepal. On that premise, Hkakabo Razi rightfully claims the title of being the highest mountain South East Asia if Papua is excluded. Concluding Remarks In my opinion, I would conclude that Mt Kinabalu is not the highest mountain in South East Asia, and even the official Mt Kinabalu park website concedes this. However, I am not implying that those who said Yes were duped or lied to or are totally wrong. It goes back to the question, ‘Where are the borders of South East Asia?’ Can a mountain shared by two countries claim to be part of SE Asia? I leave it to you guys to decide on this matter.

Mount Kinabalu is NOT the highest mountain in South East Asia – Kinabalu Blog February 20, 2010 at 3:33 pm @Ben..Irian Jaya is in New Guinea Island, but the mountain is part of Indonesia Boundaries, as Indonesia is part as SEA, then yes Puncak Jaya is in SEA 🙂 what make ppl thinks mt. KK is the tallest is just because Malaysia Tourism Board marketing, put it that way, so ppl from around the world would only know Mt. KK instead the other mountain which is obviously taller then mt. KK @drizad I think for the Indonesia Mountains above are NOT volcanic except Semeru jad adrian February 22, 2010 at 3:55 pm Hi Laska, Just to share from the right corner here, Yeah Puncak Jaya is a part of SEA because it’s situated in the irian jaya part (indonesia) but the ‘range’ OR ‘the body’ of the puncak jaya peak are belongs to the range from papua new guinea. Thats why it is also consider as the tallest mountain in Oceania.

I agree with you it’s clearly in Indonesia but now we are referring to the geography term (because its all is about geography and boundaries) to clarify the right fact on this hot issue. As a conclusion, the puncak jaya are belongs to papua from ‘geography sight’. Except if someone wish to ‘cut’ its NECK (border) to separate the head (puncak jaya) from the body (range bishmark/sudirman) then we all would except that puncak jaya is belong to irian jaya. I hope thats help. September 6, 2010 at 11:25 pm i don’t understand. Hkakabo Razi is situated in a state of Burma, hence is is a part of Burma, which is a part of SE Asia. No? It even has those militants from Burma populating it to prove its origin even more LOL If I’m not mistaken, it’s not a matter of whether Hkakabo Razi is sacred or not, it’s because of the dense forest that’s dangerous (plus its decorated by the rebels that occupy those northern regions of Burma) and the government policy that makes it closed to outsiders.

I’m sure the locals there climb it all the time. Also, someone else already said it but yeah, a Jap guy and a local has been official recorded for ascending that mountain already. 10. Mt. Kinabalu, 4094m, Malaysia anut December 26, 2011 at 4:08 am in part of kesatuan yes! but in the geology/geographical study they said the mount in the indon n the one in myanmar is not a part of asean…just a country boundaries make it in the SEA region. for the information..only mount KK that have the facility for amateur hiking…the other need a lot of money if u want to conquer it… the point that tourism malaysia use is the geology/geographical. the research by the profesional. the range that in myanmar and indon is not from the country itself. it is from the center (himalaya for Ganlanzi..n australia or oceania plat) n Mt KK is come from croker and croker itselt was in sabah only not share with kalimantan even sarawak. we should change to ‘the highest mountain in SEA geographical region’ i guess..

The Truth June 4, 2012 at 11:10 pm What a load of crap to say Indonesia West Guinea is not part of Asia but geographically part of Australia/Oceania. New Guinea is an island, just like Borneo and both are NOT connected to the Asian mainland. So how can we say that Borneo is in Asia? Following this reasoning, Mount KK will not be considered a place in Asia or South East Asia! tanak kampung Whatever, im happy to be sabahan.my business getting bigger because of our proud mt.kinabalu. That is mean, just to be smart and appretiate what we have. Aramai tiii i’m not very good at linguistics. but i think we’re always have a problem to differentiate between ‘tertinggi’ and ‘paling tinggi’. ‘paling tinggi’ means ‘the highest’ ‘tertinggi’ means ‘one of the most highest’ werd August 20, 2013 at 9:28 pm The highest in South East Asia geographically but not politically? On what ground you saying Hkakabo Razi is not in South East Asia geographically, beats me.

Now how do you define South East Asia geographically- based on earth plate? The is no such thing as South East Asia in strictly geographical or geological sense. There is only Asia because it sits on its own plate. Period. Everything else is political. “Tertinggi” and “paling tinggi” mean exactly the same. john werd: really? then you should really go back to your geography books. simple question for you, whats is oceania, australia and australiasia? I find the debate to be funny. Myanmar wasnt considered part of South East Asia politically due to their communism politics. Geographically, Myanmar is in the South East Asia region. Indonesia, is politically considered an SEA. Hence the ASEAN, long before Myanmar enters the ASEAN. Geographically, Indonesia is not situated in South East Asia region. Depends on who’s side of view, political or geographic, there are difference.

December 19, 2013 at 1:09 pm Carstensz Pyramid is the highest summit of Mount Carstensz, the highest mountain in Indonesia, the highest on the island of New Guinea, and the highest of Oceania, and the 5th highest mountain in political Southeast Asia. It is also the highest point between the Himalayas and the Andes, and the highest island peak in the world. January 26, 2014 at 8:48 pm I was looking thru the website, trying to find info about mountains in the world, and i came across this page. I am a sabahan, i live at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, i have climbed it for 4 times so far… The mountain is very dear to me… I would definitely be proud if kinabalu is the highest in sea but even if it is not, i still love it. I would love to climb puncak jayawijaya someday.. Im sure it definitely has a breathtaking scenery and wonderful experience to be had..

I would also like to visit burma’s mountains… Each has its own beauty… I dont give a crap of whats the tallest… I just love mountains in general… And oh how i wish i could go visit everest one day…. March 5, 2016 at 1:44 pm According to Wikipedia, Mount Kinabalu is the 21st highest peak in South East Asia. That is after considering Mount Tambora located in Sumbawa, Indonesia with the height of 4,300m before its eruption in 1815. In other words, Mount Kinabalu is ranked 21st before 1815 and ranked 20th after the eruption.

Below is the list provided by Wikipedia: 1) Hkakabo Razi [1] 5,881 m (19,295 ft) Myanmar 2) Gamlang Razi [1] 5,870 m (19,259 ft) Myanmar / China 3) Peak 5710 [1] 5,710 m (18,734 ft) Myanmar / China 4) Dindaw Razi [1] 5,464 m (17,927 ft) Myanmar / China 5) Tami Razi [1] 5,101 m (16,736 ft) Myanmar / India 6) Sheankala Razi 5,000 m (16,404 ft) Myanmar 7) Puncak Jaya 4,884 m (16,024 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 8) Sumantri 4,870 m (15,978 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 9) Ngga Pulu 4,862 m (15,9

51 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 10) Carstensz East 4,820 m (15,814 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 11) Puncak Mandala 4,760 m (15,617 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 12) Puncak Trikora 4,750 m (15,584 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 13) Ngga Pilimsit 4,717 m (15,476 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 14) Madoi Razi [2] 4,616 m (15,144 ft) Myanmar 15) Mount Yamin 4,540 m (14,895 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 16) J.

P.

Coen Peak 4,500 m (14,764 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 17) Valentiyn Peak 4,453 m (14,610 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 18) Phangran Razi 4,328 m (14,199 ft) Myanmar / India 19) Mount Tambora (before 1815) 4,300 m (14,108 ft) Indonesia (Sumbawa) 20) Phonyin Razi 4,282 m (14,049 ft) Myanmar / India 21) MOUNT KINABALU 4,095 m (13,435 ft) Malaysia (Borneo) 22) Ngga Nggulumbulu 4,061 m (13,323 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 23) Phongan Razi 3,606 m (11,830 ft) Myanmar/ India 24) Antares 3,970 m (13,0

25 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 25) Angemuk 3,949 m (12,956 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 26) Mount Saramati 3,826 m (12,552 ft) Myanmar / India 27) Mount Kerinci 3,805 m (12,484 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 28) Jumbul Ambera 3,785 m (12,418 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 29) Mount Kobowre 3,750 m (12,303 ft) Indonesia (New Guinea) 30) Mount Rinjani 3,727 m (12,228 ft) Indonesia (Lombok) 31) Mount Semeru 3,677 m (12,064 ft) Indonesia (Java) 32) Mount Rantemario / Latimojong 3,478 m (11,411 ft) Indonesia (Sulawesi) 33) Mount Tanpa Nama 3,

466 m (11,371 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 34) Mount Slamet 3,428 m (11,247 ft) Indonesia (Java) 35) Bumhpa Bum 3,411 m (11,191 ft) Myanmar 36) Mount Sumbing 3,371 m (11,060 ft) Indonesia (Java) 37) Mount Arjuno 3,339 m (10,955 ft) Indonesia (Java) 38) Mount Raung 3,332 m (10,932 ft) Indonesia (Java) 39) Mount Lawu 3,265 m (10,712 ft) Indonesia (Java) 40) Mount Lonkrumadin 3,185 m (10,449 ft) Myanmar 41) Mount Dempo 3,173 m (10,410 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 42) Mount Welirang 3,156 m (10,35

4 ft) Indonesia (Java) 43) Mount Merbabu 3,145 m (10,318 ft) Indonesia (Java) 44) Fansipan 3,143 m (10,312 ft) Vietnam 45) Mount Sundoro (/Sindoro) 3,136 m (10,289 ft) Indonesia (Java) 46) Mount Leuser 3,119 m (10,233 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 47) Iyang-Argapura 3,088 m (10,131 ft) Indonesia (Java) 48) Mol Len 3,088 m (10,131 ft) Myanmar 49) Mount Cereme (/Ciremai) 3,078 m (10,098 ft) Indonesia (Java) 50) Phu Si Lung 3,076 m (10,092 ft) Vietnam 51) Mount Gandang Dewata 3,074 m (10,085 ft) Indonesia (

Sulawesi) 52) Nat Ma Taung (Mount Victoria) 3,070 m (10,072 ft) Myanmar 53) Mount Agung 3,031 m (9,944 ft) Indonesia (Bali) 54) Fuyul Sojol 3,030 m (9,941 ft) Indonesia (Sulawesi) 55) Mount Binaiya 3,027 m (9,931 ft) Indonesia (Seram) 56) Mount Pangrango 3,019 m (9,905 ft) Indonesia (Java) 57) Buyu Balease 3,016 m (9,895 ft) Indonesia (Sulawesi) 58) Tatamailau / Ramelau 2,986 m (9,797 ft) East Timor 59) Phu Luong 2,985 m (9,793 ft) Vietnam 60) Pegunungan Arfak 2,955 m (9,695 ft

) Indonesia (New Guinea) 61) Mount Apo 2,954 m (9,692 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 62) Mount Dulang-dulang 2,938 m (9,639 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 63) Mount Merapi 2,930 m (9,613 ft) Indonesia (Java) 64) Mount Pulag 2,922 m (9,587 ft) Philippines (Luzon) 65) Mount Talakmau 2,919 m (9,577 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 66) Mount Marapi 2,891 m (9,485 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 67) Geureudong 2,885 m (9,465 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 68) Mount Kalatungan 2,880 m (9,449 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 69) Mount Singgalang 2,877 m (9,439 ft) Indonesia

 (Sumatra) 70) Moncong Lompobatang 2,874 m (9,429 ft) Indonesia (Sulawesi) 71) Bulu Kandela 2,870 m (9,416 ft) Indonesia (Sulawesi) 72) Mount Butak 2,868 m (9,409 ft) Indonesia (Java) 73) Mount Patah 2,850 m (9,350 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 74) Mount Tambora 2,850 m (9,350 ft) Indonesia (Sumbawa) 75) Phou Bia 2,819 m (9,249 ft) Laos 76) Mount Ragang / Piapayungan 2,815 m (9,236 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 77) Peuët Sagoë 2,801 m (9,190 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 78) Ijen 2,799 m (9,1

83 ft) Indonesia (Java) 79) Mount Tujuh 2,732 m (8,963 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 80) Phu Xai Lai Leng 2,720 m (8,924 ft) Laos / Vietnam 81) Kennedy Peak 2,703 m (8,868 ft) Myanmar 82) Mount Kapalatmada 2,700 m (8,858 ft) Indonesia (Buru) 83) Sangpang Bum 2,692 m (8,832 ft) Myanmar 84) Loi Leng 2,673 m (8,770 ft) Myanmar 85) Mount Tagubud 2,670 m (8,760 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 86) Mount Papandayan 2,665 m (8,743 ft) Indonesia (Java) 87) Mount Mekongga 2,650 m (8,694 ft) Indonesia (Sulawesi) 8

8) Mount Trusmadi 2,643 m (8,671 ft) Malaysia (Borneo) 89) Mong Ling Shan 2,641 m (8,665 ft) Myanmar 90) Nattaung 2,623 m (8,606 ft) Myanmar 91) Ng?c Linh 2,598 m (8,524 ft) Vietnam 92) Mount Talang 2,597 m (8,520 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 93) Mount Halcon 2,586 m (8,484 ft) Philippines (Mindoro) 94) Mount Tambuyukon 2,579 m (8,461 ft) Malaysia (Borneo) 95) Doi Inthanon 2,565 m (8,415 ft) Thailand 96) Loi Pangnao 2,563 m (8,409 ft) Myanmar 97) Bon Irau 2,501 m (8,205 ft)

 Indonesia (New Guinea) 98) Bukit Daun 2,467 m (8,094 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 99) Mayon Volcano 2,462 m (8,077 ft) Philippines (Luzon) 100) Mount Sinabung 2,460 m (8,071 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 101) Kanlaon Volcano 2,435 m (7,989 ft) Philippines (Negros) 102) Mount Mutis 2,427 m (7,963 ft) Indonesia (Timor) 103) Mount Murud 2,423 m (7,949 ft) Malaysia (Borneo) 104) Mount Malindang 2,404 m (7,887 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 105) Mount Mulu 2,376 m (7,795 ft) Malaysia (Borneo) 106) Matebian 2,372 m (7,78

2 ft) East Timor 107) Poco Mandasawu (Ranakah) 2,370 m (7,776 ft) Indonesia (Flores) 108) Mount Bromo 2,329 m (7,641 ft) Indonesia (Java) 109) Bukit Raya 2,300 m (7,546 ft) Indonesia (Borneo) 110) Mount Matutum 2,286 m (7,500 ft) Philippines (Mindanao) 111) Doi Pha Hom Pok 2,285 m (7,497 ft) Thailand 112) Mount Sibayak 2,212 m (7,257 ft) Indonesia (Sumatra) 113) Mount Salak 2,211 m (7,254 ft) Indonesia (Java) 114) Mount Tahan 2,187 m (7,175 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 115) Mount Korbu 2,183

 m (7,162 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 116) Mount Yong Belar 2,180 m (7,152 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 117) Doi Chiang Dao 2,175 m (7,136 ft) Thailand 118) Mount Chamah 2,171 m (7,123 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 119) Mount Banahaw 2,170 m (7,119 ft) Philippines (Luzon) 120) Galunggung 2,168 m (7,113 ft) Indonesia (Java) 121) Phu Soi Dao 2,120 m (6,955 ft) Thailand / Laos 122) Mount Irau 2,110 m (6,923 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 123) Mount Benum 2,107 m (6,913 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 124) Mount Mantalingajan 2

,085 m (6,841 ft) Philippines (Palawan) 125) Phou Khe 2,079 m (6,821 ft) Thailand / Laos 126) Myinmoletkat Taung 2,072 m (6,798 ft) Myanmar 127) Mount Guiting-Guiting 2,058 m (6,752 ft) Philippines (Sibuyan) 128) Bukit Batu Lawi 2,046 m (6,713 ft) Malaysia (Peninsular) 129) Mount Tapulao 2,037 m (6,683 ft) Philippines (Luzon) 130) Doi Mae Tho 2,031 m (6,663 ft) Thailand 131) Mount Isarog 2,000 m (6,562 ft) Philippines (Luzon) References: [1] Tamotsu Nakamura, Veiled Mountains in North Myanmar, Japanese Alpine News 2015 [2] “My

anmar Trekking – Madoi Razi Expedition”.

. Retrieved 2016-02-18. Categories: Geography of Southeast Asia ———————————————————————————————————————- * The above list was copied from Wikipedia page that was last modified on 18 February 2016, at 09:19. As for me…there are still tenth or maybe more than 100 peaks both in Myanmar and Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Indonesia are still not listed in the list. If all of the peaks are taken to count, Mount Kinabalu most probably ranked much much more lower. ———————————————————————————————————————- ** For those who had conflicting on the name of the Island of Papua, here are some explanation that I hope might help us to streamline our understanding and speaking in reference to it with the same meaning..: Speakers align themselves with a political orientation when choosing a name for the western half of the island of New Guinea.[3] “West Papua”, which is not the official name for the western half of the island, is preferred by ethnic Papuans.[4][5].

The region has had the official names of Netherlands New Guinea (1895–1962), West New Guinea (1962–63), West Irian (1963–73), Irian Jaya (1973–2001), and Papua (2002–2003). When the region was administratively one in Indonesia, Indonesian officials criticized activists’ use of the term “West Papua”, because they thought that the term implied that the province was not a part of Indonesia. The was Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid considered his short-lived use of the name “Papua” in 2002 as a concession to the West Papuans.[6] Since 2003, WESTERN NEW GUINEA has had two provinces: the province of West Papua on the west (of the Western New Guinea), and the province of Papua on the east (of the Western New Guinea). Officials and administrators refer to the province when they say “West Papua”; independence activists mean the whole of western New Guinea.[7].

PLEASE TAKE NOTE: —————————- That EASTERN NEW GUINEA is also known as PAPUA NEW GUINEA is located in the Eastern half of the Papua (New Guinea) Island which fall under Australia Administration. References: [3] Leith, Denise (2003). The Politics of Power: Freeport in Suharto’s Indonesia. University of Hawaii Press. p. xxv. [4] “Cursed by plenty: Paying a covert visit to Papua’s fighters in the forest”. The Economist. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2011. [5] Cribb, R.B.; Kahin, Audrey (2004). Historical Dictionary of Indonesia. Scarecrow Press. p. 313. [6] Rees, Stuart (2003). Passion for Peace: Exercising Power Creatively. UNSW Press. p. 150. [7] Ver Berkmoes, Ryan (2010). Indonesia. Lonely Planet. p. 775.

The tallest mountains in Southeast Asia, by country - Pinoy Mountaineer The tallest mountains in Southeast Asia, by country Gideon Lasco 3 Comments asean , lists , southeast asia How does the Philippines rank among its neighboring countries in terms of its highest point? Our Mt. Apo is modest in comparison to some of the tall peaks of Indonesia, but Apo is higher than all mountains in Indochina except Fansipan; it is also higher than all mountains in Malaysia except Kinabalu. Indonesia has so many 3000+ MASL peaks, and I’ve had the privilege of climbing three of them: Gunung Agung, Gunung Lawu, and Gunung Merapi. The highest mountain in Southeast Asia is the little-known Hkakabo Razi (silent h). It is part of the Himalayan Range, indicating how far it is from the Southeast Asia that we usually identify with (i.e. Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand). It is already in the border with India and China, and the first ascent was in 1996, by Takashi Ozaki (Japan) and Nyima Gyaltsen (Myanmar). I don’t think it is accessible at the moment!

Yet, take note that in comparing mountains, it is too simplistic to use altitude as a sole parameter. Biodiversity, variety in geologic features, and difficulty of the climb itself is also an important factor. Thailand’s Doi Inthanon takes less than a minute to climb from the road; perhaps only the barely-explored Hkakabo Razi in Myanmar is more difficult than our Mt. Apo. Mt. Kinabalu IS NOT the highest mountain in Southeast Asia but because Hkakabo Razi is almost Himalayas, it does . Mt. Kinabalu deserves credit as the highest island peak, i.e. the highest mountain in archipelagic Southeast Asia. Puncak Jaya, although part of Southeast Asia politically, is not part of it geographically. Rather, it belongs to Australia-Oceania, and in fact it represent that continent in the Seven Summits of the World. It will be interesting to aim to climb the highest mountain in every ASAEN country!

HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN EACH SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATION Hkakabo Razi (5,881 m) Mount Kinabalu: Spiritual peak of Borneo - CNN.com 1 of 10 Photos: But first you have to start here – Day one of the hike to the summit of Mount Kinabalu is a slow and steady five-hour ascent through the lower mountain rainforest along six kilometers of reinforced carved steps. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Diverse forests – The canopies of Mount Kinabalu National Park are among the most biologically diverse places on earth, home to 800 species of orchids and 600 fern species -- around 50 of which are endemic. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Day two – On day two, trekkers rise early for a 3 a.m. start. The final 2.7 kilometers takes two to four hours to complete in the dark. Roped supports are anchored into the cliff's steepest positions.

Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Low's Peak – The sun rising over Sabah as seen from the summit at Low's Peak, named after former British colonial administrator Hugh Low, who made the first documented ascent of Mount Kinabalu's summit plateau in 1851. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Crocker Range – Sunrise colors change throughout the morning. These steaks overlook the Crocker Range, a mountainous spine with an average height of 1,800 meters that divides the west and east coasts of Sabah. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Mount Kinabalu: Southeast Asia's highest mountain – By 9 a.m., clouds begin to ascend over the summit plateau. Rain follows shortly after. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Too early for some – The aim of the early morning start is to make it to Low's Peak for sunrise. These hikers didn't succeed. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Porters – Local porters earn only 128 Malaysian ringgit ($40) for two days' work on Mount Kinabalu.

Nevertheless, the positions are highly coveted among subsistence farmers living at the foothills of the mountains. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Carnivorous plants – Nepenthes villosa are the largest and most beautiful of 13 species of carnivorous pitcher plants found within Mount Kinabalu National Park. Hide Caption Conquering Southeast Asia’s Highest Peak: Mount Kinabalu, Borneo | Jacada Travel Home > The Explorer > Conquering Southeast Asias Highest Peak Mount Kinabalu Borneo Conquering Southeast Asia’s Highest Peak: Mount Kinabalu, Borneo By Heather Richardson Published 2 years ago When it comes to climbing mountains, there is no gain without a little pain. As the first rays of sunlight peaked over the blanket of clouds above which we stood, the sky gradually shifted from a surreal blend of pink and purple to a cornflower-blue canvas streaked with shafts of golden light. We were on top of Southeast Asia ’s highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu, on the spiky summit of Low’s Peak at 4,095.2 metres.

It was this moment that made two days’ worth of climbing, a 2am start and a knee-crunching decent completely worthwhile. Despite the challenges, witnessing this sublime sunrise is not as difficult as you might think. Anyone with a decent level of fitness can summit Mount Kinabalu. At the foot of the mountain Mount Kinabalu is a couple of hours away from the city of Kota Kinabalu on the northern coast of Malaysian Borneo . We arrived at Kinabalu Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, late in the afternoon. I was armed with just a daypack, having sent the rest of my luggage on to the Shangri-La Rasa Ria, where I was already looking forward to a full body massage. Through a gap in the clouds, I glimpsed the top of the mountain I was here to summit. Rising grandly above the lush rainforest valleys and emerald-carpeted hills of the park, the jagged granite peaks of Mount Kinabalu looked unnervingly far away. We woke early the next morning for a big breakfast before driving to the gate to begin our climb.

Within our group were a mixture of fitness levels, some of us feeling fully prepared for the challenge, whilst others felt physically ill at the prospect of what lay ahead. We snapped a group photo, showed our permits at the first of three checkpoints, and started the hike. Stairway to heaven The first part of the climb was a seemingly endless series of slightly-too-high steps reinforced with wooden beams. There were no stretches of flat ground and the ascent was relentless. Surrounded by dense vegetation, the path was sheltered from the sun, but within a mere half hour the humidity had me dripping with sweat. The air became thinner as we climbed and for the first couple of hours I experienced a weird sensation of being continuously out of breath, but with no tiredness or pain in my legs. We hiked ever upwards through the fertile, misty cloud forest. Gnarled vines wrapped their arms around ancient tree trunks. Mountain squirrels that looked like squirrel-chipmunk hybrids (I grew to call them ‘chirrels’) sprinted from tree to tree on the lookout for stray scraps of food at the rest stations we passed. As I climbed, I made sure that I continued to sip from my water bottle.

I’d bought about two litres for the first leg of the climb, which – for my speed – was just about right. If I’d been hiking for any longer, I would have wanted more. TOP TIP: Bring a camelback to keep your hands free whilst being able to sip water throughout the hike. Sipping water little and often helps combat altitude sickness. We’d been warned to take the first couple of kilometres slowly, but it’s equally important to avoid climbing at a slower than comfortable pace, so I kept up a brisk cadence. As we climbed higher and higher, reaching the subalpine area, the flora became sparser and drier, the foliage changing from rich vegetation to tough shrubs and small, hardy-looking trees with greying bark. Leaving the mist and cover of the cloud forest behind us, I could now see the mountain’s bare, grey, granite peaks jutting up in front of me. The stairs finally ended and in their place were uneven boulders. I tried to pick out a path that involved the smallest steps.

By now we were passing many climbers on their way down, all of whom – somewhat ominously – wished us, ‘Good luck!’ Finally, I saw a small building perched on the side of the mountain: Laban Rata guesthouse, our stop for the night. After three and a half hours of climbing, I sat down on a rock at the top of the trail, munched my banana (also good for staving off altitude sickness) and waited for the others to arrive. TOP TIP: Buy some rehydration sachets with electrolytes at Laban Rata, add it to a large 2L bottle of water and drink it all. This should help with any effects of the altitude. Waking in the dark Although we’d all heard horror stories about how bone-chillingly cold it was up at Laban Rata, our tiny room – with the combined body heat of six people – was like a furnace and most of us spent the night feverishly stripping off the excessive layers in which we’d gone to sleep. Our alarms went off at 1.30am. After ‘supper’, which was actually the first breakfast of the day, we strapped on our head torches and stepped out into the night.

Summiting with the sun The most important aim of the summit climb for me was to pace myself: we had a long time to reach Low’s Peak and arriving early would only result in us having to sit in the freezing darkness waiting for the sun to show. I asked our guide to act as our pacer. Having climbed the mountain over 300 times, he knew what he was doing. TOP TIP: You’ll need a variety of layers for the summit climb, but don’t wear them all at once, as you’ll be warm when climbing. The temperature at the summit, however, can be below freezing. After yet more steps, we made our way onto the sheer granite rock face that characterises the highest part of Mount Kinabalu and where the way was marked with a white rope. Balancing on narrow ridges along the side of the mountain, we edged our way in a zig-zag up and up, gripping the rope for balance. The pools of light from our head torches were the only source of illumination and we had no way of gaging the drop to our side. For me, this was excellent: what I couldn’t see couldn’t scare me.

For others, it was their undoing and one of our team turned back. A glance up to the side revealed the pinpricks of yellow light from the villages and towns at the foot of the mountain. Looking up, we were treated to a sky full of glittering stars. We passed the final checkpoint – only those who reach this mark before 5am can continue – and began the slow, steady trudge on tiptoe up the steep slope, following the white rope that lead up and up. A shooting star zipped across the dark, sparkling sky. Far below us was a winding trail of tiny, flickering lights belonging to fellow climbers as they snaked their way up the mountain. After one last scramble up a wall of rocks, suddenly we arrived at Low’s Peak: 4,095.2 metres. Despite our pacing we still arrived an hour before the 6.15am sunrise. However, looking out from the peak, I saw that the horizon was already illuminated by a red glow. As dawn gradually crept in, night’s dark cloak was dragged back to reveal the landscape beneath us. Craggy peaks rose out of a frothy sea of clouds.

A golden haze marked the horizon, growing stronger and stronger until the first rays of sunlight finally broke free. The sky changed from dreamy lavender to gilded blue and the top of the clouds were bathed in sunshine. Morning had broken and it was time to start our descent. The long way down The journey down was, for me at least, much harder than the ascent. After stopping briefly for breakfast number two at Laban Rata, we wasted no time in continuing down the mountain. With the constant, steep descent came the return of my runner’s knee. However, slowing down would not have resulted in less pain, so we continued to scurry down as quickly as possible. Having decided ‘good luck’ sounded too sinister, I greeted puffed-out climbers heading up the mountain with a (hopefully) reassuring, ‘It’s worth it!’ With a couple of kilometres to go, I glanced up at a girl walking in the opposite direction and was about to smile politely and deliver my motivational message, when I recognised her as a good friend of mine from London who was currently travelling in Asia. As luck would have it, she happened to be on the same mountain on the exact same day as me.

After spending 15 minutes catching up and crossing our fingers the forecasted rains wouldn’t come to anything, we were off again. By the time I reached the bottom, my legs were like jelly and I could barely manage the cruelly positioned flight of stairs up to the final checkpoint at the entrance gate. A happy ending While we waited for the others to arrive, a cold Tiger beer went down extremely well. It had started to rain; we’d just missed it. In fact, we’d been very lucky with the weather, especially as Mount Kinabalu receives an average of 2,700 millimetres of rain a year (over four times more than London). By 5.30pm, everyone had reached the bottom of the mountain and we headed off to the Shangri-La Rasa Ria , the thought of which had kept many of us motivated over the past couple of days. After a much-needed shower and dinner at the Shangri-La’s Indian restaurant Naan we split into the groups that had become familiar throughout the trip: half took their weary legs off to bed, while the rest of us decided to celebrate with several bottles of wine at the beach bar.

We spent the following day indulging in a massage that was half bliss (upper body) and half torture (my still very tender legs) and watching the young orangutans swinging around at the Shangri-La’s onsite sanctuary. Back in London after three flights, I could barely walk from the pounding my legs had received on the way down Mount Kinabalu, but, for those moments sat above the cloud line on Southeast Asia’s highest peak, it really was worth it. I travelled with Royal Brunei Airlines, who fly to Kota Kinabalu from London. The Explorer Blog

Question: Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in which Asian country'?
Answer: MALAYSIA